Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I did sort of mention in my remarks I’m slightly confused why we are deleting the definition of layoff and I mentioned I think it’s because there’s a difference in the way that the word “layoff” it’s used, whether it’s used as a noun or a verb. I didn’t hear that, I don’t think, in the Minister’s remarks. I also didn’t hear about what consultation was done, but I don’t know if we can go to the Minister at this point or not, but that is a concern. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would like to consider Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act, and Bill 27, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2014.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to take that as a yes.

Junior Kindergarten now has 23 schools; sorry, Junior Kindergarten is being offered in 23 schools and I have to assume that that JK program in those 23 schools is fully funded.

So I would like to ask the Minister, how are those schools being funded if next year there needs to be more money taken from education authorities’ budgets? Is it being fully funded this year? If it is not being fully funded by the budget reductions, is there an internal reallocation that is funding part of the JK program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up with some further questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

I’m struggling with the answer that the Minister gave me with regards to the implementation of a 16 to 1 funding at 16 to 1 pupil-teacher ratio. It has been stated many times that education authorities are over-funded and that we need to fund our legislated PTR of 16 to 1.

Looking at the department’s numbers, using the department’s own numbers, and albeit they are from 2013, but it is entirely possible that if we have a 16 to 1 pupil-teacher ratio across the board...

Thanks to the Minister. The Premier yesterday stated, in answer to one of my questions, “we will be re-profiling from all authorities.” He was referencing the money that is being used for Junior Kindergarten, that it’s coming from all authorities. So, if it’s coming from all authorities, I’d like to say that 20 of our 49 schools are currently, give or take, less than 120 students. That’s almost half of our schools, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister explain the fairness of having small schools exempted from the budget reductions and, at the same time, receiving the small schools funding formula...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I want to follow up on my statement and some of the questions asked by Mr. Dolynny yesterday. In this fiscal year, 2014-2015, budgets to all education authorities were reduced to a certain extent in order to fund the start of Junior Kindergarten. That funding apparently was to go help the 23 schools that are offering Junior Kindergarten this year to get their program in place.

So I would like to ask the Minister first off, why, if these programs are operational and we have funding for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t often get to do this, but as I said yesterday, I want to congratulate the Premier on the content of his statement on Junior Kindergarten yesterday.

As you will have guessed from the applause, we found it gratifying to know that the executive does actually listen to Members periodically, does actually listen to us periodically when we give voice to our constituents’ concerns, and they took action to do the right thing.

But, as pointed out by Mr. Dolynny yesterday, there is still the issue of funding for the Junior Kindergarten program. Apparently there will be no...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to give a brief explanation for the action that I’m about to take. I, as well, have listened to both sides of this argument and I am part of the committee that discussed this at great length. I am satisfied with the failsafes, I guess, that have been expressed by the government, and I do not feel the fear, I guess, that my colleagues do passing this bill without the word “vacant” in there. However, that said, I don’t feel that I can vote against my colleagues, so I will be abstaining.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the legislative counsel for the clarification. I guess with regard to the consultation, I would advise the department and the Minister that anytime legislation that involves employees, no matter who they are, is being contemplated, that there ought to be consultation with them on the changes that are intended to be made to an act.

I’m not quite sure what the Minister means by the fact that the NWTTA had access to the consultative process. It’s one thing for a submission to come in when the bill is at committee stage. It’s quite another thing for a submission to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of comments. One of the things that came to light when we were discussing the bill, we received some comments from one of the stakeholders who was concerned about consultation. I don’t believe that there was enough consultation done on this bill, if there was any consultation done at all. One of the questions I have for the Minister is to advise us what consultation was done in the development of the amendments to Bill 30.

I would like to confirm in the definition of layoff, it’s being deleted, and I’d like to confirm, I believe the Minister advised us...